Exo Terra Solar Glo UV/Heat Bulb
An Exo Terra Solar Glo UV/Heat, 100 W Flood, Bulb is recommended during the day for reptiles. Unlike the fluorescent tubes, this bulb provides UV at the similar overall output level as the sun. It is also a source of both UV and heat, and will last for a full year. The bulb needs to […]
Feeding Your Insectivorous Reptile
One of the most overlooked aspects of keeping healthy insectivorous reptiles is understanding how to feed them properly in captivity. Wild-caught insects are usually the most nutritious and easily attainable. Be cautious when collecting these insects in areas that may have been sprayed with insecticide. A good way to avoid worrying about insecticide-tainted insects is […]
Green Iguana Diet
Green Iguanas are herbivorous, plant eaters, and feed almost entirely on the leaves of various vines and trees in the wild. They do not have gizzards like birds and do not require grit in the diet. Similarly, they are not insectivorous at any time in their lives; they are herbivorous from birth, although the occasional […]
Kingsnake and Milksnake Care
General Information Kingsnakes and milksnakes belong to the family Colubridae, which also consists of over 2,000 snakes around the world. The snakes in this family are distributed throughout the world and are dominant everywhere except Australia. This family is considered to be more highly evolved than Boidae, which contains boas and pythons. They have a […]
Metabolic Bone Disease
About the Diagnosis Metabolic bone disease, MBD, is not a diagnosis in itself; rather, MBD is an umbrella term that encompasses a group of related skeletal diseases. Metabolic bone disease refers to one of the following diagnoses: nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, fibrous osteodystrophy, hyperparathyroidism, or hypocalcemia. MBD can be caused by deficiencies in calcium or vitamin […]
Leopard Gecko Care
Care & Maintenance Leopard geckos do not need fancy housing. They are happy in terrariums, plastic sweater boxes, big wooden cages, etc. However, they do require the following things: Adequate Heat A heating pad, like the ones used for people’s backaches, can be used under one end of an aquarium. It should be under the […]
Native Plants for Desert Tortoises
By Mary Cohen The Desert Tortoise Natural Area (DTNA) is a 39.5-square-mile area of prime natural habitat located in the Mojave Desert of California on the slopes of the Rand Mountains. This desert ecosystem includes over 160 different species of plants. Many of the animal inhabitants of the DTNA feed upon these plants. One such […]
Old World Chameleon Care
Chameleons have been kept in captivity for the last 20 years. Thousands of chameleons have been imported into the U.S. every year over the past two decades. Until recently, widespread captive breeding has not occurred here in the U.S., and since then only with a few selective species. Two chameleons that have reproduced in the […]
Redfoot Tortoise Care
Basic Information The Redfoot tortoise is also called the Redleg tortoise or the Savanna tortoise. This South American tortoise is the most common tortoise available in pet shops. The natural habitat of this animal is savanna areas and scrubby grasslands, although it is sometimes found in deep forests. They can reach 50 years in age. […]
Reptile-Associated Salmonella
Background Information Salmonellosis is by no means a new disease. Its potential to cause disease has been recognized since 1946. Salmonella is a gram-negative, flagellated rod. In addition, it is a facultative anaerobe. Salmonella is a very stable organism. It is capable of remaining virulent for several months to years, depending on the medium in […]
